Shafira
Perth
Western Australia.
Shafira was drawn into the art of belly dancing in December 1993. She was a founding member of the Jewels of the Desert and owes her love of the dance to her first teacher Eva Cass with whom she trained for 3 years. After Eva left Kalgoorlie in 1996, Shafira, along with two other members of the original troupe Maya and Kalila, kept the Jewels of the Desert performing and running lessons in Kalgoorlie/Boulder & Kambalda.
1999 Shafira took over the reigns of the Jewels of the Desert after Kalila and Maya left for "greener" pastures. (Kalila moved to Toodyay and settled there with her husband and newly born daughter, while Maya and her two children took off and have settled in Queensland - Maya continues to teach there). Shafira taught classes twice a week and organised workshops and harem nights with guest performers and teachers, who perform different styles of this dance, from Perth to broaden the view of this beautiful art in Kalgoorlie Boulder. Dance styles and experiences being drawn from some wonderful teachers including attending workshops run by Keti Sharif, Hossam Ramzy, Ibrahim Farrah, Clare Naffah, the Oasis Belly dance Studio, and many other resident, interstate and local teachers. Her performing experience includes stage direction and performance skills gleaned from being involved with the local theatre club (ranging from backstage, onstage, and directing of plays the first being "Scheherazade" in 1996 as a farewell to Eva).
May 2006 Shafira relocated to Melville, a suburb of Perth in Western Australia.
January 2005 - completed Keti Sharif's A-Z Original Belly Dance Routines and became an accredited Instructor, available to teach these routines. See Keti Sharif's Home Page for more information on the A-Z Routines.
2007 to 2008 - danced with the Isis Dance Troupe.
August 2008 - participated in workshops in Perth with Jillina from Bellydance Superstars from America
November 2008 - participated in the Nile Group Oriental Dance Festival workshops - in Cairo, Egypt - highlight of dance festival? - workshop with Mahmoud Reda
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